Waffle iron and temperature control and indicator therefor



May23, 1939 A. M. YOUNG I 2,159,068

WAFFLE IRON AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL AND INDICATOR THEREFOR 'lynMg/WLWW May 23,l 1939- v A. M. YOUNG 2,159,068 WAF'FLE tRON AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL AND INDICATOR THERE-:FOR

Filed March 4, 19,38 2 sheets-sheet 2 IN1/EN Tok 41m/v /1/7. You/V6 A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 23, 1939 UNITED., STATES WAFFLE moN AND TEMIPERATURE CON- TROL INDICATOR THEREFOB Allan M. Young, Meriden, Conn., assignor to Manning, Bowman It Co., Meriden, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application March 4, 193s, serial No. 193,866

7 Claims.

This invention relates to electric waille irons and the like.-

One object of .the invention is an electric waille iron embodying a novel and improved means for w regulating the temperature thereof. D A further object of the invention is an electric Waie iron embodying a novel and improved temperature control and indicator in combination. A further object of the invention is an electric Waille iron embodying a novel and improved tern- 10 perature regulating and adjustable mechanism I including a centrally disposed knob on the upper part.

A further object of the invention is an electric waiile iron of the above indicated character characterized by its simplicity in the control and regulation of the temperature, by its inexpensive construction and by the efllciency and reliability of its regulating mechanism.

Further objects of the invention after appear.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application wherein- Fig. 1 is a sectional view through a waille iron embodying the invention;

2o will herein- Fig. 2 is a planl view of the upper grid and associated parts;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a part of the automatic temperature regulating mechanism;

Figs. 4a, 4b and 4c are views of parts indicating the method of assembly; and Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a part of the iron.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is illustrated as embodied in a waile iron having a base support 2. The lower half of the wallie iron is indicated diagrammatically at 3 andthe upper -half is indicated at 4, it being understood that the part 4 is hinged to the -part 3 in the usual o manner so that the part 4 may be lifted and lowered about the hinge in the usual manner of waiile irons. 'I'he hinge and the rhandle. for lifting and lowering the upper part 4 of the waille iron are omitted from the drawings for conven- 45 ience and illustration. *l

The upper part 4 of the waille iron comprises a conventional cover 5, a porcelain unit ring'S and a grid plate 1. 'I'he cover 5 and grid plate 1 are fastened together as a unit in any suitable 50 manner. The ring Scarries a conventional electric heating coil 8.

An insulatingv block l is mounted upon and fastened to the upper side of the 'grid plate 1 in any suitable manner, as for example by means of 55 the screw l0. This block carries an interrupter for the heating circuit, which interrupter com? prises a fixed contact I carried by a metallic angle piece |2, this metallic angle piece-l 2 being fastened t the block I0 in any suitable manner and having a terminal I3 to which is attached a wire I4 leading to the heating coil. A movable contact I6 is carried by a spring-arm |`|this arm I 1 being also suitably mounted upon and fastened to the block l and having a terminal I 8 to which is connected a. wire I leading to the other side of the gap'in the circuit of heating coil 8. The spring arm |1 is biased to close the circuit at the contacts and I6 and carries on its outer end an adjustable screw|9 with which a thermostatic element 20 engages for interrupting the circuit when the temperature reaches the predetermined f value to which it is adjusted. This thermostatic element may be of any conventional character, as for example bi-metallic, and it carries a metallic button 2| on the upper side thereof for engaging the adjustable screw |9 of the spring arm Il. This button 2| is insulatedly carried by the element 20 in any suitable manner, as for example being in the form of a rivet passing through an opening in the element 20 and insulated therefrom by insulation washers 22.

The thermostatic element 20 is biased by a spring 23 upwardly in a direction to engage the adjustable screw I9 and interrupt the circuit at the contacts and I6, this spring 23 engaging at its free end the grid plate. 'I'he element 20 and the spring 23 are fastened together by rivets 24 which rivets in turn secure these elements to a plate 25, the latter having ears 26 turned upwardly from its sides which are journaled on a pin 26 carried by the legs of a U-shaped bracket 2l, the bracket 2'I being fastened to the upper side of the grid plate l in any suitable manner, as for example by means of the screws 28.

The'porcelain ring 6 is rmly fastened to the upper side of the grid plate I by means of a triple threaded screw 30 and a hold down strap or metallic bar 3|. The latter bridges the circular opening formed by the ring 6, on a diameter thereof, and is provided with an opening through which passes the scr'ew 30, the latter having a screw threaded part at its lower end which is screwed ho'me into the centrally disposed boss l' projecting upwardly from the center of the grid plate l. A spacing sleeve' 32 is disposed between the boss I' and the strap 3| and the screw 30 has a screw threaded part intermediate its ends with which engages a nut 33, the latter being screwed down tightly against the strap 3| to cause the ends thereof to bind and grip the ring 6 and and by the rotation 'of thissleeve or bushing l! the thermostatic element 2l may be adjusted with respect to the adjustable screw il to vary the temperature which is to be automatically maintained. The up-and down movement of the bushing 2l is communicated to the element 24 by means of a metallic strip It. having an opening adjacent one end to freely receive the screw 3l. At its other end this member 3i has its end, turnedydownwardly at right angles tothe main body thereof, and this end which is thus turned downwardly is slotted for a portion of its length to form feet II which project downwardly through notches Il' cut in the sides of the strap 2|. These feet 38 are then bent outwardly to a position. asvindicated, whereby this member 13S is anchored to the strap 3l for pivotal movement with respect to the strap 3|.' The opposite en d of this member 36 can thus pivot-towards and away from the strap 3| and is provided with a tongue 36' which passes through an opening in the strap Il and engages the upper side of the thermostatic element 20. thermostatic element 2U is biasedl in anupward direction and by rotating the bushing II which engages the upper side of the member 38 the distance of the thermostatic element 20 from the adjustable screw Il may he varied. l

',I'he cover 5 is provided with a centrally dis v posed opening 4l for the reception of a temperature indicating and swiveling and holding member 4I for an annular adjusting knob 42. The member 4I is provided with a downwardly depending skirt 4I' which extends through the opening 44 and is provided with tongues 43 which are peaned over into the notches 4l formed in the periphery of the opening 40, the member 4I thus being anchored against rotation on the cover I and against removal therefrom. The member 4I is provided at its upper-periphery with a circular shoulder or lange 44 projecting outwardly beyond the skirt, and in the assembled position this shoulder 44 engages a co-operating shoulder 45 formed on the interior of the annular knob 42. 'Ihis knob 42 is providedwith a tlat under surface 42' vand rests upon the correspondingly flat t-op part of thecover I. The annular knob 42 may thus swivel'about the skirt 4l' of the member 4I for the purpose of adjusting the thermostaticvelement. For this purpose the knob 42, which is preferably formed of Bakelitel or some other suitable insulating material, is operatively connected` with the adjusting bushing 35. This operating connection comprises a nat arm 41, which is rigidly fastened to the bushing 3l in any suitable manner, and this arm is provided with an upstanding tongue 4I' which passes through an arcuate slot 49 formed in the cover I and into a recess A5i! formed on the under-side of the annular knob 42. Thus the annular knob '42 is rotatable through an angle limited by movle-v conventional manner. A transparent cover Il isv carried by the unit 4| in any suitable manner.'

The operation is clear from the above description. By merely rotating the annular knob 42,

u the thermostatic element 2l maybe adjusted to As above indicated, thev gnu piste maintain any` temperature that it may be desired to maintain, and the wams maybe safely left in the iron for some time beyond the cooking time without burning. The whole indicating and regulating mechanism is thus concentratedV and located in the center of tlie cover and the indicating device is located within the adjusting knob. 'I'he assembly is a simple one and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

l. In an electric wallie iron and the like, a grid plate, a heating unit ring, a holding member dis v A posed on a diameter of the ring, a Ascrew passingthrough an opening in the said member and screw threadedly fastened to` said grid, a nut screw threadedly attached to said screw andgen- 888mg said member to fasten the heating unit 4a temperature indicating unit mounted upon said cover,' an annular adjustable knob journaled for rotary movement about said unit, a thermostatic l 3. In an electric wallie iron a cover therefor, a

temperature indicating unit comprising a downwardly extending cylindrical skirtand a circular ange atthe upper part thereof, said unit being mounted on the cover, an annuianknob journaled about said skirt and betweensaid ange and the cover for' rotary movement, a thermostatic mechanism for automatically regulating the temperature and an operative -connection between said annular knob and saidmechanism whereby the thermostatic mechanism may be adjusted to maintain the desired temperature by rotating the annular knob.,

4.In an electric wallie iron a thermostatic mechanism for regulating the temperature thereof.- a cover over said mechanism, a bearing unit mounted on said cover, an annular knob journaled on said unit for rotary movements thereabout ,and an operative r`connection between said thermostatic mechanism and said annular knob -where'by the thermostatic element maybe set to operate at diiIerent-temperatures, the operative yconnection including al screw and a screw threadl ed'bushing thereon, said bushing having Aan arm fastenedv thereto with a projecting up through an opening in the cover and into a recess formed inthe annular knob.- l

.5. In an electricl'wame iron a thermostatic.

mechanism ior regulating'the temperature thereof., arcover over said a bearing unit mounted on said cover, an annular knob journaled on said unit for rotary movements therevabout and an operative connection between said thermosta'tic mechanism and said annular knobv whereby the 'thermostatic element may be set to yoperate at different temperatures, the operative connection including a screw and a screw threadved bushing thereon, said bushing having an arm fastened thereto with a nger projecting up through an opening in the cover'and into a rethermostatic element for adjusting the same, a cover, a knob journaled on said cover, and opera- 1 tive connections between said knob and the pivoted member for adjusting the thermostatic element.

7. In an electric waille iron, a grid plate, a L

heating unit, a temperature regulator, and means for fastening the heating unit to the grid plate and for adjusting the regulator comprising a triple threaded screw element screw-threadedly 10 engaging said grid plate .at one end, screwthreadedly engaging a fastening means intermediate its ends and screw-threadedly engaging an adjusting means at its other end.

ALLAN M. YOUNG. I6 

